UPDATE: Purely Creative has raised over £8,500 for the Ryan Stanford Appeal! Can you help us raise even more?

Ryan Stanford is a little boy from Lancaster who first fell ill in May 2009 aged 9 months. He stayed in hospital for 3 months, part of which time he was in an induced coma in intensive care. Shortly before his first birthday Ryan was diagnosed with Alpers’ Syndrome – a genetic disorder which affects both the brain and the liver. It also causes progressive loss of developmental milestones and severe epilepsy. Ryan has uncontrollable seizures, is fed directly into his stomach, has extremely low muscle tone and cannot support his own head. Currently, there is no cure for Alpers’ Syndrome.

This heart-breaking illness is very rare and little is known about it. It is thought to affect less than 1 in every 200,000 people. Whilst Alpers’ Syndrome is not common enough to qualify for government funded research, the condition has a devastating effect on sufferers and their families and friends.

Ryan’s parents, Anne and Dave, set up The Ryan Stanford Appeal to raise money to fund research into mitochondrial disease and Alpers’ Syndrome in particular. Anne is working with the medical research facility inNewcastlethat first identified the faulty gene, enabling a diagnosis of Alpers’ to be made via Ryan’s many blood tests. They are currently carrying out research into mitochondrial diseases, and Anne and Dave are aiming to raise as much money as possible to fund the project.

Purely Creative is committed to supporting this very worthwhile cause, to help fund research that could give children like Ryan a brighter future. Previously, we produced a charity scratch card with all revenues going to this extremely worthwhile cause. The game card was produced at our expense and we donated a selection of great prizes that participants could win.

To date, our customers, suppliers and employees have raised over £8,500 for the appeal, but we’d love to raise even more! Please donate – every penny really does count.